(MSC News)--Former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has officially filed as a candidate in the Republican primary for the Kansas Second Congressional District.

According to a release from Schmidt's campaign, the filing was made Tuesday.

“I am grateful for the support I have received from Kansans in every part of the district since announcing my candidacy,” Schmidt said. “Kansans have expressed to me their frustration with Washington and their desire for strong leadership and a representative who will stand tall for our Kansas conservative principles. And that's exactly what I intend to do as the next U.S. Congressman from Kansas’ Second District.

A fifth-generation Kansan, Schmidt served 12 years as Kansas Attorney General, building a strong record of prosecuting criminals, including numerous illegal aliens who committed crimes in Kansas. He led special initiatives to protect children from sexual predators and to protect older Kansans from financial and physical abuse. He proudly represented Kansas before the U.S. Supreme Court, personally arguing three cases and winning all of them. He also repeatedly sued the Obama and Biden Administrations when their actions were illegal and harmful to Kansas.

“My number-one priority will be to help secure the southern border, including re-implementing the Trump administration policies that I defended as attorney general. We also must focus on reversing the out-of-control spending in Washington that's led to runaway inflation, straining the budgets of every Kansas family. And, just as I did as attorney general, we must rein in the intrusion of the federal administrative state into our daily lives.

He previously served 10 years as a Kansas state senator, representing a rural district in Southeast Kansas. He served four of those years as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and six as Senate Majority Leader. Now a partner in one of the top 100 law firms in the country, Derek represents clients nationwide. He also enjoys spending time on his Southeast Kansas farm. He and his wife are the parents of two grown daughters.